Luis Fernández, the NBCUniversal Telemundo Chairman, has issued an open letter urging Google to reconsider dropping Telemundo from YouTube TV. This follows a report earlier this week stating NBCUniversal and YouTube TV were locked in a dispute which could result in the NBC suite of cable channels being removed from the lineup.
Key Takeaways
- If no agreement is reached, YouTube TV subscribers risk losing access to Telemundo on September 30th.
- The NBCUniversal Telemundo Chairman has accused Google of abusing its market power and making an example of the network.
- If a separate dispute is not reached for Univision, Spanish-speaking viewers could lose access to both networks on the same day.
The open letter from the Telemundo CEO follows an open letter from the TelevisaUnivision CEO Daniel Alegre. YouTube TV is also currently locked in a dispute with TelevisaUnivision over Univision.
As the open letter from Fernández points out, if neither dispute results in a deal, YouTube TV subscribers face losing access to both Telemundo and Univision, and on the same day
A loss which will be particularly felt by Spanish-language viewers who rely on YouTube TV for access to either or both of these networks.
“Telemundo is not just a network. It is a lifeline for millions of Spanish-speaking Americans across the country, serving the fastest growing demographic groups in many communities across the nation,” the open letter reads.
Fernández goes on to suggest that Telemundo has made efforts on its part to ensure a deal can be done. The letter even goes so far as to suggest that Google is making an “example” out of the network.
“Despite all of this, Google and YouTube are abusing their market power by refusing to reach a fair agreement to make an “example” out of us. In the process, they may deny millions of viewers access to news, sports and entertainment on which they depend. Your subscribers and our audiences deserve better,” the letter adds.
If new deals are not agreed by the deadline, YouTube TV subscribers can expect to lose access to Telemundo on September 30th – the same day Univision will be removed, if the dispute with TelevisaUnivision is also not resolved.
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